Sewing-machine.



No. 629,735. v Patented July 25, |a99.'

w-. M. AMMERMAN & E. J. Tour.

SEWING MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 81, 1894.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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'No. 629,735. Pa tented July 25, I899.

. W. M. AMMEHMAN 8L E. J. TOUF.

SEWING MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 81, 1894.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Wirzesses- I jflwenivrs Patented July 25, I899. or.

SEWING MACHINE.

(App! c m d n 31 X894 7 (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNITED STATES A PATENT FFIGE.

\VILLIAM M. AMMERMAN AND EDWIN J. TOOF, OF N EXV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO SAID TOOF.

SEWING-'MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 629,735, dated July 25, 1899.

Original application filed October 16, 1890, Serial No. 36 8,353. Divided and this application filed December 31, 1894. Serial No. 533,399. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM M. AMMER- MAN and EDWIN J .TOOF,citizens of the United States, and residents of the city and county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

Our present invention, which forms a division of an application of ours filed October'lo', 1890, and bearing Serial No. 368,353, patented May 11, 1897, No. 582,382, relates more particularly to that portion of the stitch-forming mechanism of the machine located beneath the cloth-plate, and has forits objects, first, to provide a simple and effective looper-actuating mechanism that will be certain and positive in its operation, and, second, to provide a loop-spreader attachment that may be removably connected with an ordinary rotary looper of a lock-stitch sewing-machine and by dispensing with the under thread render such machine capable of forming a single-threadv chain-stitchj These objects we secure by means of the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter set forth in detail, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which show only so much of a sewing-machine as is necessary to illustrate our invention, Figure 1 is a bottom view of a portion of the bed-plate of a sewing-machine embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the looper and its raceframe detached from the machine, showing the loop -spreader in connection with the looper. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through line so a; of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the looper-actuating mechanism with the looper removed. Figs. 5 and 6 are plan and edge views, respectively, of the looper-driver. Figs. 7 and 8 are plan and edge views, respectively, of the bobbin-case; and Figs. 9 to 12, inclusive, are perspective views showing the relative positions of the looper with an attached loop-spreader and the needle at different times during the formation of the stitch.

To explain in detail, a represents the bedplate of a sewing-machine; b, the looper raceframe; 0, the looper, and a the looper-driving lever.

According to our present invention the frame I), which is attachedto the under side of the bed-plate in a horizontal position, is provided with a projecting or overhanging flange h, partially surrounding its inner periphery, which is adapted to extend within a counterpart groove located in the outer periphery of the looper, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3, and serve as a support and guide for the same. This supporting and guiding flange, as herein shown, is formed by the inner edge of two plates b which are detachably secured on the upper surface of the frame I), so as to permit of the ready placing of the looper into or removal from its operative position.

The frame I; and the plates 6 b forming part of the same, are cut away on that side adjacent to the path of the needle in order that the point or beak c of the looper may pass adjacent to the needle and enter the loop thrown out by the same. One of the plates 1) is formed with a recess b adjacent to the path of the needle, as shown in Fig. 2, which is adapted to receive the inner side of the becoming disconnected with said beak after' the latter has engaged with the thread and is carrying the loop around the looper, as described.

The looper is operated by a rotating reciprocatory driver d, which consists of a horizontallyarranged plate supported on the frame b beneath the looper and provided with two vertically-projecting arms d d, 5

which alternately engage with and withdraw from the opposite sides of the looper within the recesses d d therein, as shown in Fig. 3, inorder to drive or rotate the looper and allow for the passage of the thread thereunder.

IOO

ing a squared projection on its under side,

which extends within an elongated seat or way d, formed in the upper surface of the driver, in a manner to move or rotate the latter therewith and allow the same to reciprocatefor the purpose set forth.

The shaft 6 is provided with a crank-disk e on its lower end, which is engaged and operated by the sliding vibrating lever a, as

shown inFig. 1. Anysuitable means for operating said crank, however, other than shown may be employed Without affecting the spirit of our invention.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, f represents a bobbin, and f a bobbin-case, the latter being provided with a central hollow spindle f which is adapted to receive the central post f in the looper and'be supportedthereon in the usual manner. The bobbin-case is also provided with an obliquely-arranged slit f in one side thereof, through which the thread is adapted to be drawn from the bobbin, and with a thread-guide f located on itsouter wall, through which the thread is adapted to be passed from said slit f A tension-spring f isse'cured on the bobbin-case with its free or working end bearing against the same at a point between the slit f and guide f, as more clearly shown in Fig. 7, to impinge the thread and produce a proper tension on the same.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, and 12, we have shown the loop-spreader in connection with the looper in lieu of the regular bobbin, thesam-e being employed for adapting the machine to form a single-thread or chain stitchin lieu of a lock-stitch, as before referred to. This loop-spreader consists of an arm or tail 72 having a forked end 7%, the same being provided with suitable means for securing detachable connection with the looper, such means, as herein shown, being a hollow shank 71, adapted to receive the looperpostf and a pin lr, adapted to enter a counterpart opening in the looper. (See Fig. 3.) This construction serves to support the'loopspreaderin fixed relation to the looper after being placed in connection therewith and also permits the same to be interchangeable with the usual bobbin and bobbin-case, whereby the machine may be readily adapted for either a lock-stitch or chain-stitch without other change or adj ustment of the parts. Any suitable means, however, other than that shown and described for securing detachable connection of the loop-spreader with the looper may be employed without departure from our invention.

The operation of the loop-spreader in combination with the other coacting parts in the formation of stitches, in brief, is as follows: The machine being set in motion, so as to rotate the looper and reciprocate the needle, the latter (denoted at i) descends and then rises to throw out the thread-loop, (denoted at 91,) which is entered by the beak of the looper, as shown in Fig. 9. As the looper continues its rotation it carries the thread-loop around the same until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 10, Where it releases or casts off the loop in the usual manner to be drawn up by the usual take-up device operating above the cloth-plate of the machine. Asth'e loop is now drawn up it'isreceived or'engaged bythe loop-spreader and carried thereby in an open ordistended condition across the path of the needle, as shown in Fig. 11, in which latter position of the parts the needle has againdescended and entered the distended loopand passed into the space betweenthe forks at the As the end of the loop-spreader, as shown. looper nowcontinues itsrotation the loop is cast oif the endof the loop-spreader, assh'own in Fig. 12, and drawn upinto the work, andthe beak of the looper enters the next loop thrown out by theneedle and draws the'same through the first loop at as it is passed around the shuttle in the manner as described relative to said firstloop. p H

The rotary looper c, asshown and'de'scribed,

isin'the form of a shuttle"; but as the loopspreader may be used in connection with any suitable form oflooperother than the particular shuttleshown we use the term looper in the claims in its generic sense.

Having thus set forthour invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters'Iat= cut, is'

1. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the needle and looper, of a detachable loop-spreader carried by said looperin position for receiving the needle-thread loopafl ter it has been released by the beak of the looper andholding the same in an 'open or distended condition across the path of the needle, and having a forked end forthe=passage of the needle into the loop held thereby.

-site sides of said looper, and with at'rans verse groove in its under side, a cam engaging with the driver in'thc said transverse I0 tate the same, the said driver being also provided with a transverse groove in its under side, and a cam engaging with the driver 1n said transverse groove to reciprocate the same.

WILLIAM M. AMMERMAN; EDWIN J. TOOF;

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. DANE, A. L. HAYES. 

